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Are you hurting in the RBI category? Here are some reasonably available players that can help you out..Carlos Peña, Chicago Cubs: He’s mostly likely gobbled up in ESPN leagues (70.9 percent ownership), but he may be available in Yahoo! ones (55 percent ownership). Over the past 15 days he’s hitting .234 with eight runs, six home runs, and 11 RBI. On the year he’s hitting .220 with 31 runs, 14 home runs, and 38 RBI. The batting average is the cross you have to bear by owning Peña, but he can help you in the power categories..Ty Wiggington, Colorado Rockies: Wiggington is hitting .288 over the past 15 days with nine runs, four home runs, 11 RBI, and a stolen base. On the year he’s hitting .266 with 26 runs, nine home runs, 27 RBI, and four stolen bases. He has first base, second base, third base, and outfield (Yahoo! leagues) eligibility. Ian Stewart’s eventual return could cut into his at bats, but he’s a nice versatile option in the meantime. Ty is owned in 28 percent of Yahoo! and 39.7 percent of ESPN leagues..Scott Rolen, Cincinnati Reds: Rolen is hitting .317 over the past 15 days with seven runs, a home run, and ten RBI. On the year he’s hitting .260 with 27 runs, three home runs, 30 RBI, and a stolen base. Age is not on his side, but he can still help your fantasy team. Scott is owned in 33 percent of Yahoo! and 24.5 percent of ESPN leagues..Hideki Matsui, Oakland A’s: Time isn’t on Matsui’s side either, but he’s been swinging the bat well of late hitting .278 with six runs, three home runs, and ten RBI over the past 15 days. He will pinch hit tonight and will likely do that again next week, but the A’s are committed to having his bat in the lineup during interleague play. On the year Matsui is hitting .220 with 20 runs, six home runs, and 30 RBI. Hideki is owned in less than ten percent of fantasy leagues..Seth Smith, Colorado Rockies: Smtih is hitting .357 with nine runs, three home runs, and nine RBI over the past 15 days. On the year he’s hitting .315 with 36 runs, eight home runs, 32 RBI, and three stolen bases. He’ll likely sit against lefties, but he’s hitting (.337) against right-handed pitching. Smith doesn’t just rely on Coors Field as he is hitting .307 on the road. Granted his power numbers are better at home. Seth is owned in 32 percent of Yahoo! and 47.1 percent of ESPN leagues.. .

Are you hurting in the RBI category? Here are some reasonably available players that can help you out..Josh Willingham, Oakland A’s: Willingham had 12 RBI over the past 15 days while hitting .250 with five runs, four home runs, and a stolen base. On the year he’s hitting .240 with 23 runs, ten home runs, 37 RBI, and three stolen bases. Despite being among the league leaders in HRs and RBI Josh is owned in about 25 percent of fantasy leagues..Allen Craig, St. Louis Cardinals: Craig had 11 RBI over the past 15 days while hitting .419 with seven runs, three home runs, and a stole base. On the year he’s hitting .337 with 14 runs, four home runs, 21 RBI, and four stolen bases. Allen is owned in about ten percent of fantasy leagues. He is more attractive in Yahoo! leagues than ESPN ones because he has second base eligibility in Yahoo!..Danny Espinosa, Washington Nationals: Espinosa had 11 RBI over the past 15 days while hitting .273 with seven runs, five home runs, and an RBI. On the year he’s hitting .214 with 27 runs, ten home runs, 33 RBI, and four stolen bases. Danny is owned in 25 percent of Yahoo! and 37.2 percent of ESPN leagues. I know the average is terrible, but Gordon Beckham, who has a similar average, but has been less productive, is owned in over half of fantasy leagues..Juan Miranda, Arizona Diamondbacks: Miranda had ten RBI over the past 15 days while hitting .300 with four runs and three RBI. On the year he’s hitting .243 with 13 runs, five home runs, and 15 RBI. Juan is owned in about five percent of fantasy leagues..Mark Trumbo, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Trumbo had ten RBI over the past 15 days while hitting .283 with six runs, four home runs, and three stolen bases. On the year he’s hitting .255 with 21 runs, ten home runs, 28 RBI, and five stolen bases. Mark is owned in 28 percent of Yahoo! and 49.5 percent of ESPN leagues..J.P. Arencibia, Toronto Blue Jays: Arencibia had ten RBI over the past 15 days while hitting .313 with seven runs and two homers. On the year he’s hitting .256 with 18 runs, eight home runs, and 26 RBI. J.P. is owned in just over 55 percent of ESPN leagues..Nick Swisher, New York Yankees: Swisher had nine RBI over the past 15 days while hitting .205 with five runs and two homers. On the year he’s hitting .215 with 24 runs, four home runs, 23 RBI, and a stolen base. Nick is owned in a little over half of fantasy leagues..Chris Johnson, Houston Astros: Johnson had nine RBI over the past 15 days while hitting .40 with four runs, a home run, and a stolen base. On the year he’s hitting .217 with 15 runs, five home runs, 25 RBI, and a stolen base. Chris is owned in about five percent of fantasy leagues...

Are you hurting in the RBI category? Here are some reasonably available players that can help you out..Ryan Ludwick, San Diego Padres: Ludwick is swinging some lumber. He has 14 RBI in the past 15 days while hitting .255 with six runs and four home runs, including three HRs in his past four games and 13 RBI in his past seven. On the year he’s hitting .27 with 19 runs, eight home runs, 28 RBI, and one stolen base. Ryan is owned in 14 percent of Yahoo! and 20.3 percent of ESPN leagues..Jason Bartlett, San Diego Padres: Who would have guessed that the Padres would have two of the top nine RBI producers in the league over the past 15 days. Bartlett has 12 of his own to go along with a .327 average, seven runs, and two stolen bases. On the year he’s hitting .267 with 14 runs, 16 RBI, and seven stolen bases. He has an active ten-game hitting streak going. Jason is owned in nine percent of Yahoo! and 13.4 percent of ESPN leagues..Travis Hafner, Cleveland Indians: Pronk has 11 RBI in the past 15 days while hitting .351 with four runs and a homer. On the year he’s hitting .345 with 17 runs, five home runs, and 22 RBI. He’s day-to-day right now so you have some time to decide if he’s a player you want to add. Pronk is available in about half of all fantasy leagues..Alberto Callaspo, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Callaspo has 11 RBI in the past 15 days while hitting .339 with two runs. On the year he’s hitting .307 with 15 runs, two home runs, and 20 RBI. Alberto is owned in 32 percent of Yahoo! and 51.7 percent of ESPN leagues..Justin Turner, New York Mets: Turner has 11 RBI in the past 15 days while hitting .387 with six runs, a home run, and a stolen base. On the year he’s hitting .333 with seven runs, a homer, 12 RBI, and a stolen base. Justin is owned in less than five percent of fantasy leagues, a number that will likely increase dramatically as he gains third base eligibility..Jonathan Lucroy, Milwaukee Brewers: Need some pop at catcher? Lucroy has 11 RBI in the past 15 days while hitting .289 with five runs and two home runs. On the year he’s hitting .315 with 11 runs, three HRs, and 16 RBI. Jonathan is owned about 15 percent of all fantasy leagues..Jon Jay, St. Louis Cardinals: Jay has ten RBI in the past 15 days while hitting .462 with five runs, two home runs, and a stolen base. On the year he’s hitting .322 with eight runs, three home runs, 11 RBI, and a stolen base. John is owned in about one percent of fantasy leagues...

Are you hurting in the RBI category? Here are some reasonably available players that can help you out..Juan Uribe, Los Angeles Dodgers: Uribe has 12 RBI in the past 15 days while hitting .353 with five runs and three homers. On the year he’s hitting .245 with eight runs, three home runs, and 15 RBI. He was hit by a pitch in the hand in last night’s game, but X-rays were negative. He gives you some pop and positional flexibility. Juan is owned in about 55 percent of fantasy leagues..Justin Smoak, Seattle Mariners: Smoak probably isn’t available in ESPN leagues (74.7 percent ownership), but he could be in Yahoo! leagues (37 percent ownership). He has 12 RBI in the past 15 days while hitting .300 with three runs and two homers. On the year he’s hitting .294 with nine runs, four home runs, and 19 RBI..Ben Francisco, Philadelphia Phillies: Francisco has ten RBI in the past 15 days while .261 with four runs, two home runs, and one stolen base. On the year he’s hitting .250 with 11 runs, four homers, 18 RBI, and two stolen bases. Ben is owned in 22 percent of Yahoo! and 39.5 percent of ESPN leagues..Ryan Ludwick, San Diego Padres: Ludwick has nine RBI in the past 15 days while hitting .291 with five runs and three homers. On the year he’s hitting .215 with 13 runs, four home runs, 15 RBI, and one stolen base. Ryan is owned in about five percent of fantasy leagues..Luke Scott, Baltimore Orioles: Scott has nine RBI in the past 15 days while hitting .333 with seven runs and four homers. On the year he’s hitting .273 with 12 runs, six home runs, and 13 RBI. Luke is owned in 39 percent of Yahoo! and 53.4 percent of ESPN leagues..Ryan Raburn, Detroit Tigers: Raburn has nine RBI in the past 15 days while hitting .240 with eight runs and three home runs. On the year he’s hitting .234 with 14 runs, four home runs, and 14 RBI. Ryan is owned in just under 50 percent of fantasy leagues..Daniel Descalso, St. Louis Cardinals: Descalso, St. Louis’ starting third basemen while David Freese is out, has nine RBI in the past 15 days while hitting .231 with five runs and a homer run. With so many injuries to third basemen this year, it’s a little surprising he’s virtually unowned in fantasy leagues...

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Are you the type of fantasy baseball player that doesn’t worry much about closers, figuring if you’re aggressive on the waiver wire you can get your share of saves? After all, John Axford had 24 saves last year, Chris Perez had 23, Alfredo Simon had 17, Juan Gutierrez had 15, and the list goes on..
If you are the type that employs this strategy, don’t overlook Jon Rauch as he’s the first temporary closer that can get you short-term saves. You remember him as the 6’11″ tattooed relief pitcher that saved 21 games for the Twins last year. He is with Toronto now, and thanks to injuries to Frank Francisco (pectoral) and Octavio Dotel (hamstring) he could start the season as the Blue Jays closer. Neither injury is considered serious so don’t expect a ton of saves from Rauch, bu the could be a nice late round addition that can give you a good short-term saves boost. If you have already drafted, he’s worth adding off the waiver wire...